Head-To-Head Review: Genie Energy (GNE) and Ameren (AEE)

Genie Energy (NYSE:GNE) and Ameren (NYSE:AEE) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, valuation, earnings and dividends.

Volatility & Risk

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Genie Energy has a beta of 1.26, indicating that its stock price is 26% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Ameren has a beta of 0.18, indicating that its stock price is 82% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends

Genie Energy pays an annual dividend of $0.30 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.0%. Ameren pays an annual dividend of $1.83 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. Ameren pays out 64.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Genie Energy has increased its dividend for 3 consecutive years and Ameren has increased its dividend for 4 consecutive years.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

15.8% of Genie Energy shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.5% of Ameren shares are held by institutional investors. 34.4% of Genie Energy shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.4% of Ameren shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Genie Energy and Ameren’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins

Return on Equity

Return on Assets

Genie Energy

3.42%

32.68%

13.70%

Ameren

10.95%

11.38%

3.23%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings for Genie Energy and Ameren, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings

Hold Ratings

Buy Ratings

Strong Buy Ratings

Rating Score

Genie Energy

0

0

0

0

N/A

Ameren

0

6

2

0

2.25

Ameren has a consensus target price of $66.43, suggesting a potential downside of 5.32%. Given Ameren’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Ameren is more favorable than Genie Energy.

Ameren beats Genie Energy on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

Genie Energy Company Profile

Genie Energy Ltd., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retail energy provider; and an oil and gas exploration company. The company operates through three segments: Genie Retail Energy; Afek Oil and Gas, Ltd.; and Genie Oil and Gas. It resells electricity and natural gas to residential and small business customers primarily in the Eastern and Midwestern United States; and offers energy brokerage and advisory services. The company also holds an 86.1% interest in the southern portion of the Golan Heights in Northern Israel. Genie Energy Ltd. was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey.

Ameren Company Profile

Ameren Corporation operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. It operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. The company engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution and transmission businesses. It primarily generates electricity through coal, nuclear, and natural gas, as well as renewable sources, such as hydroelectric, methane gas, and solar. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial customers through a generation capacity of approximately 10,200 megawatts. It serves 2.4 million electric customers and approximately 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area. The company was founded in 1881 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.